Correction
In Wednesday's Avalanche-Journal, the column on Elizabeth Regner failed to note that schoolchildren's attendance at Lubbock Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Lubbock events were a result of the dedicated actions of Robert Rumph, director of fine arts for LISD; Mary Saathoff, executive director of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra; and Laura Berry, executive director of Ballet Lubbock.

Bernanke pessimistic about U.S. economy
WASHINGTON - Using words like "sluggish" and "deteriorated," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a starkly pessimistic assessment of the nation's economy on Thursday and signaled that the Fed will cut interest rates further if needed to combat the adverse effects of a prolonged housing slump and a severe credit crisis.

Taxpayers now can file their returns
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Internal Revenue Service informed taxpayers Thursday that they can now file returns with five forms affected by late congressional action to fix the alternative minimum tax.

Houston mom creates toy rentals online
HOUSTON - After scouring the Internet to fill her house with only the best toys for her infant twin sons, Lori Pope hated to watch the clutter build as the boys lost interest.

Eaton equals career best as Cowboys win
STILLWATER, Okla. - Byron Eaton came to Oklahoma State as one of the best high-school players in the country. With another flash of brilliance Wednesday night, he reminded everyone why he was a McDonald's All-American.

NCAA claims Hoosier coach misled Indiana about recruiting calls
INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff violated telephone recruiting restrictions imposed because of his previous violations at Oklahoma, then lied about it to the school and NCAA investigators, according to an NCAA report released Wednesday.

Jury selection begins in Rodriguez trial
Attorneys will once again try to impanel an impartial jury - this time in Randall County - as the selection process begins today in the capital murder trial of Rosendo Rodriguez III.

Lubbock's economy is defying the oddsWHILE MUCH of the nation and parts of Texas are finding themselves in the doldrums, Lubbock's economy continues holding its own and weathering the financial storms in relatively good shape.

Eubank, Korchenko lead New Deal to win
Tiffany Eubank scored 17 points and Kami Korchenko added 15 to lead No. 12 New Deal to a 51-34 Class 1A Division I bi-district victory over Morton late Tuesday at Monterey.

Video site offers odd, unflattering views of city
On a recent day, I typed "Lubbock" into the search engine of the popular online video Web site YouTube. My search resulted in 1,850 hits. The top few videos featured headlines including the following:

Silver Screen Ball to celebrate Underwood Center
Black ties, long limousines and a red carpet with paparazzi lurking in the background will sprinkle this year's Silver Screen Ball with the glitter of Hollywood on Feb. 23 at the Underwood Center.

Things you should know about herpes
MCCLATCHY - Nationwide, at least 45 million people ages 12 and older have had genital herpes, a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 or type 2. Over the past decade, the percentage of Americans with genital herpes has decreased, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

Road Construction
 Marsha Sharp Freeway - The Marsha Sharp Freeway will be closed beginning Monday between 19th Street and Quaker Avenue so Texas Department of Transportation crews can work on the 19th Street flyover. Westbound traffic will be detoured on 19th Street. The construction may last until Feb. 27.

Jury selection begins in Rodriguez trial
Attorneys will once again try to impanel an impartial jury - this time in Randall County - as the selection process begins today in the capital murder trial of Rosendo Rodriguez III.

Lynn Turner
Funeral services for Lynn Turner of Portales will be on Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, at 10 a.m., in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel. Services will be under the direction of Rev. Marlin Poynor. Burial will follow at Portales Cemetery

Lee Roy Tischler
Lee Roy Tischler, 79, of Lubbock passed away Feb. 13, 2008. Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 at 10 a.m. at Resthaven's Abbey Chapel, Minister William Allen, officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Lee Roy was born Nov. 16, 1928 in Indian Gap to Gottlieb and Minnie (Seider) Tischler. He married Marjorie Northcutt Dec. 22, 1955 in Slaton. Lee Roy served his country in the U.S. Army in Alaska during the Korean Conflict. He worked at Lubbock Power & Light for 27 years. He was an assistant Scout Master and enjoyed the Boy Scouts and camping. He is preceded in death by his parents, one sister and two brothers. Survivors include, wife, Marjorie, of Lubbock; son, Mike Lee Tischler, of Allen; daughter, Sandra Tischler, of Jayton and granddaughter, Sara Beadle, of Jayton.

Ovella June Taylor
Church service for Ovella June Taylor, age 75, of Morton, is scheduled for 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 at First United Methodist Church, Morton with Rev. Lyndall Fletcher officiating.

Ruth Wild
Rosary service for Ruth Wild, 83, of Lubbock will be 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, 2008 in Englunds Chapel with Resurrection Mass 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, in Lubbock's Christ the King Cathedral. Interment will follow in Slaton's Englewood Cemetery and under the direction of Englunds Funeral Service in Slaton.

Larry Willson
Larry D. Willson, born on Feb. 10, 1953 in Lubbock, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Feb. 13, 2008.

Helen Abraham
Services for Mrs. Helen Abraham, 92, of Canadian, Texas will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 at the First Presbyterian Church with Kari Stainback, Rev. Ashley Abraham Hood and Rev. Ed Cooley, officiating. Burial will follow in Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery in Canadian, Texas under the direction of Hughs Funeral Home of Canadian, Texas.

Allison Dagg
Allison Dagg, 34, went to be with her Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ on Feb. 10th, 2008. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15th at Oakwood Baptist Church in Lubbock. Committal service will follow at Peaceful Gardens Cemetery Memorial Park. Family and friends will gather to share in love and support from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 14th, as well as on Friday, Feb. 15th, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers.

Santanna Flores
Rosary services for Santanna Flores, 21, of Wilson will be 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008 in Englunds Chapel. Resurrection Mass will be 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15, 2008 in Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Wilson. Burial will be at Green Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Englunds Funeral Service of Slaton.

Rose De Leon
A recitation of the Rosary for Rose Maire De Leon is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lake Ridge Chapel this evening. A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday, 10 a.m. at Lake Ridge Chapel.

Bessie Gipson
Mrs. Bessie Gipson, 78, of Brownfield passed away Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008 at Covenant. She was born Jan. 8, 1930. She was the daughter of Pearlee Mayes and Rosa Gill and she lived in Lubbock, Texas for 30 years, she later moved to Brownfield, Texas in 2004 and resided there.

Lynn Harrell
Services for Lynn Harrell, 71, of Ralls will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008, at the Ralls First United Methodist Church, with Rev. Allen Brooks officiating. Burial will be in Ralls Cemetery under direction of Adams Funeral Home of Ralls.

Donnie Blackmon Lewis
Donnie Blackmon Lewis, 60, of Lubbock died Saturday at her home. Funeral services will be Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Franklin-Bartley Chapel, burial will follow in the Meadow Cemetery. Her family will receive friends Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Donnie was born August 14, 1948 to Donald and Ida (Wilson) Blackmon. She was a graduate of Ropesville High School, and she attended South Plains College, and University of Texas. She married Bill Lewis October 21, 1986, in Lovington, N.M. She was a member of St. Luke's Methodist Church, and was a retired bookkeeper.

Sandra "Trudy" Kitten
Funeral Services for Sandra "Trudy" Kitten of Slaton will be 2 p.m. Friday, in Englunds Chapel with Rev. Renae Phillips officiating with interment following in Englewood Cemetery and under the direction of Englunds Funeral Service in Slaton.

Margaret Jean Harvick
Mrs. Margaret Jean Harvick, of Pearland, formerly of Tahoka, departed this life on Feb. 10, 2008, at the age of 83 years.

Elzina McInroe
Elzina McInroe of Idalou went to be with the Lord on Feb. 14, 2008 at the age of 94 years. She was born on May 30, 1913 in Wingate, Texas to Byrd and Nina (Sullivan) Wallis. She was a homemaker, who enjoyed arts and crafts, painting and ceramics. She married Lowell McInroe April 25, 1931. He preceded her in death on Feb. 2, 2007. Elzina was a longtime member of Idalou Church of Christ and was involved in all activities of the church.

Milton Murphy Moore
Services for Milton Murphy Moore, 73 of Welch will be held on Saturday Feb. 16, 2008 at 2 p.m. at the Second Baptist Church with Truman Hayes and Kalith Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Lamesa Memorial Park under the direction of Branon Funeral Home.

R.C. Patterson
Services for R. C. Patterson, Jr., 92, of Sachse, Texas, and formerly of Abernathy, Texas, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, in the First Church of the Nazarene. Burial will follow in the Abernathy Cemetery under the direction of Abell Funeral Home of Abernathy, Texas.

Theoria "Aunt Nat" Parks
Theoris "Aunt Nat" Parks was called to rest on Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, after a lengthy bout with cancer. She was the third of three children born Nov. 16, 1934 to the late AP Parks and Veola Campbell, in Leon County, Texas. Theoris and her family resided in Centerville, Texas. Later her family moved to Navarro County, Texas, where she began working for Lubbock State School. Later in life she was employed by MHMR, where she retired after 18 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Sample and her daughter, Janet Sample Marshall. She will be fondly remembered by her sister, Leavera Lusk; her brother, Odell Parks, Sr.; her granddaughter, Theoris Marie Marshall-Williams; great grandsons, Frank Tre-Williams III and Marques Williams; her aunt, Scnoby Parks; and a host of family and friends.

Ruffus S. Lusk
Services for Ruffus S. Lusk, 85, of Lubbock, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, at 1 p.m. in Resthaven's Abbey Chapel, with David Peebles officiating. Burial with Masonic Interment Rites will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home.

Kathryn Elizabeth Phillips
Kathryn Elizabeth Phillips, 75, a resident of Fort Smith for the last 14 years, died at her home after a lengthy illness on Feb. 12, 2008. Ms. Phillips, born in Altus, Okla., was the daughter of George and Dorothy Phillips. A graduate of Texas Tech, she directed high school bands in Muleshoe and Memphis, Texas, then ran a recording studio in Lubbock, before she managed a pygmy goat farm near Mena, Ark. Upon moving to Fort Smith, she owned and operated a dog grooming business. A great lover of sports, she loved to play golf in retirement, and was noted for an amazing 29 holes-in-one on the course adjacent to her apartment. In better health, Ms. Phillips was a dedicated volunteer for the Crisis Center for Women and The River Valley Animal Welfare Coalition. Ms. Phillips is pre-deceased by her parents and her brother, Richard Phillips of New Braunfels, Texas. She is survived by sister, Dorothy (Dotsy) Hill of Wichita Falls, Texas, along with two nieces and three nephews. She is also survived by many Fort Smith pet owners who appreciated her service. Her body was cremated and family remembrances will be privately held.

Georgia Leonard Mayfield
Georgia Leonard Mayfield died peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the home of her daughter, Gayle Mayfield, in St. Augustine, Florida. Born Aug. 18, 1917, to George and Dixie Leonard in Caddo Mills in Hunt County, Georgia moved with her family to Levelland in 1932, where she lived for 75 years until October of 2007. Raised on a farm, Georgia worked hard all her life, finally retiring in 2002 at the age of 84.

Goldie Roach
Goldie Roach, 79, of Lubbock, died Wednesday. Funeral Service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday in the W. W. Rix funeral Chapel, burial will follow in the City of Lubbock Cemetery under the direction of Rix Funeral Directors.

Antonio Riojas IV
Rosary for Antonio Riojas IV, 25, of Wilson will be 7 p.m. today at Calvillo Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday at 10 a.m. at San Ramon Catholic Church with Father Nelson Diaz officiating. Burial will be at peaceful Gardens Memorial Park under the direction of Calvillo Funeral Home.

Patricia "Patsy" Sanders
Funeral Services for Patsy Sanders, 78, of Midland and formerly of Ransom Canyon will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 in Englunds Chapel with interment in Englewood Cemetery and under the direction of Englunds Funeral Service in Slaton.

Ginobili's high 46 lifts Spurs over Cavaliers
CLEVELAND - Manu Ginobili made a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored a season-high 46 points as the San Antonio Spurs, back on the floor where they won the NBA title last season, downed the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-105 on Wednesday night.

Post players come through vs. K-State
If the Texas Tech post players are auditioning - as head coach Pat Knight said after Saturday's loss at Nebraska - they received a passing grade in Wednesday's 84-75 victory over No. 18 Kansas State.

Fans welcome new Knight regime at Tech
Even as the son rises, it's still Knight time in Lubbock as Red Raider fans anticipated coach Pat Knight's home debut Wednesday at the United Spirit Arena.

Texas Tech women vs. No. 15 Oklahoma StateAbout the game: As part of the "Think Pink" initiative to promote breast cancer awareness, fans who wear pink to today's game can purchase a general admission ticket for a discounted price of $3. Special bracelets and T-shirts will be distributed to fans, and Campus Design will sell its own pink T-shirts, with $2 of each purchase benefitting breast cancer research. Also, donation buckets benefitting the American Cancer Society will be passed around during halftime. ... Texas Tech has won each of its last seven meetings with Oklahoma State, and 10 in a row in Lubbock, but the Cowgirls have the momentum coming in. They've won three straight and are tied for third place in the Big 12 Conference at 7-2, and they're also 4-1 in conference road games. The Lady Raiders have lost three in a row and eight of their last 10, and they're tied for ninth place at 2-7. But both of Tech's Big 12 wins have come at home.

Texas Tech senior guard won't be slowed down by injury, illnessColorado guard Marcus Hall is tied for the Big 12 lead in average minutes played per game (36.8). He has played all 40 minutes six times. ... Iowa State center Jiri Hubalek has scored at least 20 points in two consecutive games and has 93 points in the Cyclones' last five. He's shot at least 60 percent from the field in three of the last five games. ... Darrell Arthur has scored in double figures in eight of Kansas' last nine games. ... Kansas State freshman Michael Beasley recorded his 20th double-double against Texas Tech, setting a school record. He is five away from setting the league record. ... Missouri forward Leo Lyons scored six of the Tigers' 15 points in their overtime win against Nebraska on Wednesday. He scored half of his 12 points in the extra period. Lyons has scored in double figures in 14 of Mizzou's last 17 games. ... Nebraska guard Ryan Anderson recorded his second career double-double against Missouri, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.